War on the Rocks

We're diving into a major development at the intersection of tech, trade, and national security: the U.S. government’s decision to allow NVIDIA's H20 chips back into the Chinese market. Brad Carson (former defense official and member of Congress) of Americans for Responsible Innovation and Liza Tobin (former CIA and National Security Council staffer) of Garnaut Global join Ryan to explore what this reversal says about America’s approach to protecting its tech edge, whether NVIDIA's justifications hold water, why normal Americans should care about this, and what it could mean for the future of AI and semiconductor strategy.  This episode also features a short clip from our new, free show, Cogs of War. You can listen to this exciting new show on defense tech and industrial issues on your podcast app of choice [https://pod.link/1818133762].

In a time of rapid change and global danger, how should the warriors of the future be educated? Ryan sat down with Vice Adm. Peter Garvin, president of the National Defense University, to tackle this question — one that cuts to the core of American military power. Garvin offers a frank assessment of how professional military education needs to evolve to prepare leaders for a world defined by great-power rivalry, disruptive technologies (including and especially AI), and dynamic battlefields.

Fresh from his latest research trip to Ukraine's battlefields, Michael Kofman joins Ryan for an insightful discussion on the shifting dynamics at the front, the role of drones in Ukraine's defensive strategy, and the adaptation of Ukrainian military command structures in real time. They explore the political turmoil gripping Ukraine, including contentious reforms targeting anti-corruption agencies, and delve into evolving Western efforts for supplying arms to Ukraine. Their conversation also tackles the implications of President Trump's growing frustration with Putin and provides a clear-eyed assessment of Senator Graham's proposed Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, and what it might mean (or, not mean) for the future of the conflict. Kofman goes into many of these issues further in his show, "The Russia Contingency," so don't miss out on becoming a member. Join at warontherocks.com/membership [http://warontherocks.com/membership]

Does the United States need a new playbook — or just fewer plays? In this charged episode, big ideas collide over how to sequence American power across the Middle East, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific. Ryan is joined by A. Wess Mitchell (Marathon Initiative), Stacie Pettyjohn (Center for a New American Security), and Justin Logan (Cato Institute) for a scintillating debate over the future of U.S. strategy.

Mike Kofman and Ryan brought out the mics to discuss the pressing issues in the war between Ukraine and Russia. They focused on drones, the state of the front, manpower, Putin's approach to Washington, and the contested policies around continued aid from the United States to Ukraine.    This episode features meaty excerpts from an episode of The Insider, featuring an interview with Jakub Jajcay talking about his article, "I Fought in Ukraine and Here’s Why FPV Drones Kind of Suck" as well as an episode of The Russia Contingency featuring a two part conversation with Stephen Kotkin, the leading historian of Russia and authoritarianism. If these excerpts leave you wanting more, you can listen to them by becoming a member: https://warontherocks.com/membership [https://warontherocks.com/membership]. Our prices are going up soon so today is the perfect day to join.